The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Vanessa Richardson Joins The Show Before Rockets Season Opener

Episode Date: October 21, 2025

Vanessa Richardson Joins The Show Before Rockets Season Opener

121 on the Matt Thomas show with Ross here from Oklahoma City. The only sad thing about tonight is the fact that our TV family will not be here to broadcast the game. And game is on NBC, which means Craig, Ryan, and Vanessa will make their debuts Friday when the Rockets take on the Detroit Pistons. Vanessa is going to join us for a couple minutes here on the show back in H-Town. By the way, Vanessa is now a national star after a busy ESPN summer. How are you, young lady? I'm good. I hate not being there in Oklahoma.

home the city, but I will say I've got my iPad out. I am by the pool. Um, and I am about to send out some fire rocket content from Space City Home Network. So, you know, life is good, but I definitely wish that I was there with you guys. No question. Yeah, we'll look forward to seeing you on Friday. Hey, you have had a chance to be at about 99% of the practices and media availability and kind of behind the scenes. Give us a thought or two for the audience about your interactions with KD. Mine has been limited and that's okay and I'm okay with that. But everything I've been with him has been it's about basketball, it's about professionalism, it's not about being a cheerleader or rah-rah guy, it's just I know what I can do for this team to help out.

And I think so far he's done everything as advertised. Yeah, I had spoken to him before and interviewed him before over the years. But this is obviously the most like up close I've ever been with him. And, you know, a plus person, very nice, very understanding of what the media does. has been supportive. You know, he was great with you and Ross on Media Day. He was great with Essent Space City Home Network on Media Day as well. So nothing but good things to say, you know, I think when you really take inventory of his career, he has never been known to be the guy that is super loud and boisterous and giving to Raw Ross speeches. Like that is just not his thing,

but he leads by example. And that is, in my opinion, even more important, than having a loud rah-rah guy that makes speeches because the coaching staff can do that. So, you know, I think Kevin has been an excellent addition so far. And I know that particularly the young guys have soaked up every single thing that he has said and have, you know, really been learning from him. So I asked us to Ryan earlier on the show today. My pick for like not, and I'm going to rephrase it again, not like most improved, but man, not on the radar last year that maybe could be an on-radar guy this year was for me, Jabari-Smith.

Are you with that or is there even somebody beyond that? Oh, my gosh, I'm so with it. And I've been in on him since the Rockets drafted him. I think, and I never try to tell people how to be fans, right? But, like, people just are not patient, right? So he comes into a situation. He and, you know, Tari are drafted during, you know, the last of some lead years for the Rockets, which was the plan, right?

Like, it went the way it was supposed to go. But he has an unbelievable attitude. And in addition to just all the talent and physical gifts. I mean, you have to think about the fact that last year he was a starter and then got injured and was replaced in the starting lineup with the men and had a completely good attitude. Said, E may, whatever you need for me, I will be whatever for the team. And Matt, you and I both know that would be a problem with like 90% of the guys in the NBA, but not Jabari.

And so not only does he have that like intangible attitude, but he's gotten a lot stronger. You can physically see when he is out there. He's gotten a lot stronger. And, you know, I, he's definitely, I think, going to be learning and be, you know, hands-on learning from Kevin. because when Jabari was being drafted or being scouted out of Auburn, that was one of the number one things was like he's got the same build as Kevin Durant. So it's a great opportunity for him, and I absolutely think that this is going to be a career year for him.

Probably the best year of his career so far is what I think. A few more minutes here with Vanessa Richardson Space City Home Network and ESPN. You worked the NBA finals, so you spent a lot of time in this city. I don't know if you went to Toby Keyes at all. We did not go there last night, so you'd be pleased with that. You know it's gone downhill. Downhill. RIP.I.P.

You were able to get into the huddles a little bit on occasion with Mark Dagnall. Tell the audience about Oklahoma City a little bit because, you know, look, Jalen Williams is not going to play tonight. That's number eight. He's heard. But that's a lot of returning guys from a year ago and just kind of the culture around that team that you saw for the limited time during the finals and the Western finals last year. Yeah, I would love to say that there's like something artificial or overrated about it,

but their chemistry is very real. You know, they all really like each other. They all get along. They've got, you know, honestly, it's kind of similar to the Rockets in years past when everybody was really young. And they all just had this like exciting, like boyish charm of guys that were living their dream in the league and we're in their early mid-20s and all of that. But, you know, they've got a great defensive thing going. They've got their own version of double big that you saw them running last year. And so it's a great team.

I mean, they're a great team. And there is a reason that the league is opening on NBC with these two teams. And it's not just because that's where Kevin played. These are two very exciting teams. And, you know, the Thunder are the real deal. What I don't like Matt, because you know me, I'm not a fan of this. I don't like when we start talking about dynasties after one championship. Like you got to get another, you got to get another championship appearance.

So I don't know if I'm like all in on talking about them being a dynasty. But they're kind of three. We've had seven different, yeah, seven different championships in seven years. So there is no room for dynasty at this point. I agree. I agree. Okay. I'm trying to think.

So I asked us to Ryan, I'll ask you, who besides Oklahoma City gives you the Hebe about who could be the Rockets teams that will perhaps give the biggest threat to the new supremacy in the West? Yeah, in the Western Conference specifically, I think if the Clippers stay healthy, you know, and there's a lot of like, they have a lot of depth. They have a lot of depth. Jeff Van Gundy has, you know, Ty Lou has given Jeff Van Gundy the keys to that defense, and Jeff Van Gundy is crushing it and is meticulous. And so I think if the clippers stay, if the, the big is if, right? The big if they stay healthy. Yeah, like I think the nuggets are awesome, but I'm just a big believer in if the clippers stay healthy, you know, now what would that look like in the

playoffs with James Hardin's history in the playoffs? I don't know. But the clippers, the clippers are the other than the thunder, the team that if they stay healthy, I think could be dangerous for everybody.